1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an automatic assembly apparatus and method; and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for automatically assembling a vehicle by installing various parts to a vehicle assembly along a line having multiple part installation stations.
2. Description of the Related Art
In contemporary vehicle assembly operations (assembly lines), a vehicle conveyor carries a vehicle assembly through multiple part assembly stations where various parts are fitted to the vehicle assembly to ultimately produce a completed a vehicle. The vehicle assembly usually begins as a vehicle body to which the various parts are assembled to build the vehicle. The parts are brought to the various assembly areas by part conveyors, which can include trucks carrying the part to be mounted to the vehicle body. In prior assembly lines, the parts conveyors do not run continuously and synchronously with the vehicle conveyor and the parts conveyor has more trucks than can be received by the vehicle conveyor, resulting in the need to have a back-up area to store the trucks carrying the parts to be assembled to the vehicle conveyor. Other assembly lines require that the vehicle conveyor and the parts conveyor be stopped while the vehicle body is aligned with the part prior to assembly of the part to the vehicle body. Yet, other assembly lines require that the truck be stopped momentarily until it is synchronized with the vehicle, and the vehicle conveyor then pulls the truck. These features are all known disadvantages of the prior assembly lines because the stopping of the vehicle conveyors for any amount of time results in a loss of vehicle production and naturally builds inefficiencies into the assembly process.
The invention addresses the disadvantages of the prior art vehicle assembly line and methods with an automatic vehicle assembly line that automatically and continuously mounts a vehicle component to a vehicle body. The vehicle assembly line comprises a vehicle body conveyor, which defines an assembly path. The assembly conveyor has multiple vehicle body holders, each of which is adapted to carry a vehicle body. The vehicle body conveyor continuously moves the body holders along the assembly path. The vehicle assembly line further comprises a component conveyor that defines a component path and has multiple component holders, which are adapted to hold a component to be assembled to the vehicle body. The component conveyor continuously moves the component holders along the component path. A portion of the component path coincides with the vehicle body path to define an assembly area in which the component is mounted to the vehicle body. The component conveyor and the vehicle body conveyor move in synchronous motion along the assembly area. A mating machine is disposed adjacent to and capable of moving along with the vehicle body conveyor and the component conveyor within the assembly area. The mating machine indexes the vehicle body holder and the component holder relative to the mating machine and couples the vehicle body holder and the component holder as they are moving.
The indexing of the vehicle body holder and the component includes indexing the vehicle body holder and the component holder to the mating machine while the vehicle body holder and the component holder are in continuous movement. Preferably, the vehicle body holder and the component holder are indexed to the mating machine by the alignment of guide slots and guide keys on the vehicle body holder and the component holder with corresponding guide slots or guide keys on the mating machine. The invention further includes a fixing mechanism to couple the indexed vehicle body holder and component holder in the indexed position. The fixing mechanism includes an alignment pin extending from the component holder into an opening in one of the vehicle body holder or vehicle body and a holding mechanism for fixing the vehicle body holder to the component holder. The holding mechanism holds the vehicle body holder and component holder in the fixed index position, independent of the mating machine.
In another embodiment, the invention is an automatic vehicle assembly line comprising a vehicle assembly conveyor defining an assembly path and having multiple vehicle assembly holders, each of which carries a vehicle assembly. The vehicle assembly conveyor continuously moves the vehicle assembly holders along the assembly path. The automatic vehicle assembly line further includes a component assembly station in which a component is assembled to the vehicle assembly carried by the vehicle assembly conveyor. The component assembly station comprises a component conveyor having multiple conveyor holders and carrying them along a component path. The component holders are adapted to hold a component to be mounted to the vehicle assembly carried by the vehicle assembly conveyor. The component conveyor continuously moves the component holders along the component path and a portion of the component path coincides with a portion of the assembly path to define an assembly area. The component conveyor and the vehicle assembly conveyor move in synchronous motion along the assembly area. The component station further includes a mating machine disposed adjacent to and capable of moving substantially parallel with the vehicle assembly conveyor and the component conveyor in the assembly area. The mating machine indexes the vehicle assembly holder and the component holder relative to the mating machine and couples the vehicle assembly holder and the component holder together during the continuous movement of the vehicle assembly holder and the component holder.
The automatic assembly line can further comprise a fastening station where the component is fastened to the vehicle assembly. The automatic assembly line additionally can comprise further stations, such as a module assembly station, a fluid filling station, a door assembly station, a wheel alignment station, and a brake testing station.
In yet another embodiment, the invention comprises a method of automatically assembling a vehicle in an automated line comprising a vehicle assembly conveyor defining an assembly path and having multiple vehicle assembly holders, each of which are adapted to carry a vehicle assembly; and a component conveyor defining a component path and having multiple component holders, each of which are adapted to carry a component. The component conveyor continuously moves the component holder along the component path. A portion of the component path coincides with the assembly path to define an assembly area. The method includes continuously moving the vehicle assembly holders and the component holders in synchronous motion along the assembly area and coupling the vehicle assembly holder to the component holder while the vehicle assembly holders and component holders are being continuously moved in synchronous motion.